


Yrs. Forever

by lokithegodofsass



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Affairs, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-24 13:18:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7509886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokithegodofsass/pseuds/lokithegodofsass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens are both not sure how they wound up at Columbia University. Hamilton went from being an immigrant to an immigrant kid of the system, while John Laurens was the gay kid of South Carolina's most homophobic congressman. Yet, somehow they'll have to endure through the hormones, the drama, the class load, the drunken mistakes, the subsequent hangovers, the misunderstandings, and the jealousy that occurs during their first semester of college.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter warnings:  
> -Homophobia  
> -Mentioning the so called "cures" for it

Excitement didn’t begin to capture how Alexander Hamilton felt about arriving at his first year of college.

The first phrase that passed through his mind as he laid eyes on the school for the first time since he was admitted was ‘I’ve made it’. He quickly realized that this initial thought was inaccurate; he really hadn’t made it yet. No, he wouldn’t “make it” until he secured his legacy and made a positive impact on the world. Truthfully, he had only succeeded in arriving at the first step. Once he realized that, the grandeur of the college completely amazed him. There was nothing this spectacular in the Saint Kitts and Nevis, which was where he immigrated from.

“Alexander, are you coming inside or are you just gonna stand there and drool over the architecture?” Angelica Schuyler, who was a friend, a junior at the university, and his ride to campus, called from the entrance of the building. “Eliza and Peggy are inside getting a dolly before they’re all checked out and the only reason why we brought you along was to have a man around to help move her stuff.”

“Yeah, I’m coming,” Alexander responded quickly. He only had a small suitcase worth of stuff, which was buried somewhere under Eliza Schuyler’s comforter set. Unlike the Schuyler sisters, he didn’t have the money to spend on cute décor for his room. In fact, he didn’t even have the money to spend on schooling in the first place and he made it this far was through his blood, sweat, and tears. 

“What’s on your mind?” Angelica stepped closer to rest a careful hand on Alexander’s arms. “I can see the gears behind your eyes spinning really fast.” Before Alexander could answer, the door swung open and Eliza and Peggy were both standing on the dolly. “So that’s what took you so long, guys? You were riding on the dolly?” 

“No, I had to stop at orientation to get my room key,” Eliza hopped off the dolly and rolled it and her youngest sister to Angelica’s car. “Which you really need to do, Alexander. It’s on the other side of the building.”

“Wait, you’re right!” Alexander answered as he lifted her mini fridge onto the dolly. “I can’t believe that I didn’t think of that. I mean, how am I supposed to get into my room without a key? I guess I was just too distracted by the fact that I was actually _here_ at Columbia University. Did you know that they have a 6% acceptance rate? Oh, of course you do! You got in too! I’d always dreamed of this moment, but some little voice inside was constantly nagging at me, telling me that I could-“

“Alexander,” Eliza cut him off with a soft laugh. The wind caught her silky black hair and whipped it against her cheek. “Go. You can help when you come back.” 

“What would I do without you, Betsey?” Alexander took her hand and kissed it softly, causing the girl in question to turn a rosy pink color and her elder sister to roll her eyes. 

“Burn,” Eliza teased. Alexander shot her one last grin and rushed over to orientation, hoping to make it back in time to be of use to the Schuyler sisters.

In his excitement to get his keys, he failed to notice the guy in the hallway that he ran straight into.

“Oh, gosh, I am so sorry,” Alexander apologized quickly. The guy, a dark-skinned boy that was a couple of inches shorter than him (that in itself was sort of rare) dressed in a pressed suit, raised an eyebrow in question. “I, uh, I totally didn’t see you there. Sometimes when I’m trying to get somewhere I get, like, tunnel vision or something. People always say that that’s a metaphor for my life, except I can definitely see the big picture when I’m combatting a situation. Were you on your way to get your key? We could wait in line together!”

“Actually,” the boy held up his key, “I’ve already gotten mine. I’m a sophomore. RA.”

“An RA?” Alexander repeated in awe. “Man, that must be fun! Unless you’re not super controlling, then it must be hard to boss a bunch of freshmen around. Do you know if this dorm building is all freshmen? Besides the RAs, obviously. I assumed it was, since it’s not super nice or anything, but hey you never know. My friend Eliza’s a freshman like me but she’s in a suite style dorm. She can afford it, her father’s in the Senate. Phillip Schuyler, have you heard of him? I’m sure you have, he’s constantly in the Times for something or other. Anyways. My name is Alexander Hamilton.”

“Aaron Burr,” Aaron, who must’ve figured out by now that Alexander was going to keep talking for the time being, answered coolly. “I was going to take a bathroom break but I’ve been gone long enough and it’s about to get really busy. Walk with me, Alexander, I remember seeing your name on my list." 

“Your list?” Alexander repeated as Aaron Burr held the door open for him. He stepped through with a gracious nod and let himself absorb the scene around him. He didn’t think that he had seen this many people his age in his life. What amazed him more was how excited they all seemed to be here. “Wait, so you’re my RA?” 

“That would be correct.” Aaron returned to his table and found the key. “Ah, yes, Hamilton and Mulligan. Room number 142. Your roommate hasn’t arrived but, in his defense, you’re a little early.” He held out a key for Alexander, who shot a wide grin at Burr before taking it. 

“That felt ceremonial!” Alexander exclaimed. “Like, there should have been epic music playing in the background. Maybe some Mozart or something, as opposed to this pathetic excuse for pop music that society keeps trying to pump into our brains. How cool would that have been? It would have had to have been exciting music, though. I love ballades but they don’t quite capture the dramatization of-”

“Listen, Alexander,” Aaron interrupted with a tight smile. “There’s a long line behind you and you’re holding it up. Why don’t you go unpack?” 

“Oh, right, I have to help Eliza load her stuff onto the dolly!” Alexander felt bad when he realized that he had kept his friend waiting. “I’ll see you later, Burr.” Aaron repeated his sentiments and Alexander rushed off to meet up with the Schuyler sisters, who wouldn’t even be surprised that he stopped to talk to a stranger.

.

The entire ride from South Carolina, both by plane and Rent a Car, had been extremely tense for the Laurens family. John’s mother was not fond of the idea of John going so far away to attend school. She didn’t understand that this was something that he really needed. Actually, what he really needed was to get away from his incredibly homophobic father so that he could possibly learn to feel better about himself. New York had seemed like a good place to escape to when he was looking at colleges.

Said father was in the driver’s seat and the source of most of the tension in the car. Even blasting his favorite music in his headphones wasn’t enough of a distraction for John. He still felt anxious, like a trapped animal, and had taken to drumming his fingers against the dash. His mother glanced back at him with an irritated look and John’s gaze quickly averted to the floor.

After what felt like years, they finally pulled up to Columbia University. John didn’t dare to mention that they were half an hour late to orientation. He doubted that they missed anything important and, sure enough, there were still people picking up their keys in front of the dormitory. Normally his family’s refusal to be on time anywhere created incredibly awkward situations that John had to deal with so he was glad that this particular one wasn’t so uncomfortable.

“Go get your key,” Henry Laurens instructed. “We’ll find a parking spot and then we’ll help you bring your things into your room.” John nodded and hopped out of his car, tightening the ponytail that his father hated so much as he made his way to the orientation table.

“Last name, please,” a light skinned boy with brown hair and a nametag that said ‘Sam’ prompted when John arrived. At his answer the boy flipped through his packet, mumbling names under his breath until he found what he was looking for. “John Laurens? Ah, yes. Aaron over there, he has your keys.” He gestured to a different table, to a rather exhausted looking guy in a suit that reminded him of something that his father would wear. John nodded his thanks and met with Aaron.

“Laurens,” John stated, an answer to a question that Aaron hadn’t asked yet. Perhaps he was a little on edge from his uncomfortable trip over, but Aaron chose not to comment.

“You’re in Room 143,” Aaron stated as he handed over the key. “And you’re my last customer so now I can go unpack before we have to meet up at 5.”

“Cool,” John answered as he took his keys and spun on his heel before making his way to the residence hall.

It was incredibly crowded and John hoped that all these people would finish unloading their stuff soon. He thought that the one benefit of being late would be that he would miss the crowd but they seemed to all be at the busiest point of their unpacking. John’s parents didn’t show up much later than he did and they began unloading his stuff from the trunk of the Rent a Car. It didn’t take long at all and John would’ve much rather done it by himself, but there was no getting rid of his parents if they decided that they were going to be helpful.

“Listen, John,” Henry finally spoke once his wife couldn’t find any more plausible excuses to stick around, “I’m expecting greatness from you.”

“I know, Dad, I won’t-“ 

“I mean it,” Henry’s voice was going into lecture mode and John could feel his throat tighten. He recognized that tone. He was about to be on the receiving end of some ill comments that would make him feel like shit about himself. “I know it can be tempting for people like you to get distracted by shirtless cowboy magazines, but I don’t want that happening. Do you understand?” 

“Yes, sir,” John answered tensely. He wanted to make a scene, to scream back that he was no more likely to get distracted than a “regular” boy with a swimsuit magazine. The only thing that stopped him was that neither of his parents would let him live it down if he did.

“Good,” Henry nodded. “I’ve been lenient with you so far. Most fathers in my position would have done something about this… condition.” John was basically shaking with rage at this point, but he had to bite his tongue. Henry knew that John wouldn’t fight back when there were people around. “There’s conversion therapy that’s supposed to help, and there are camps for other boys like you. You could be normal, John.” 

“What did you just say?” A voice that John had never heard before questioned. Henry and John both turned to the new presence in the hallway, the only one that had overheard the conversation. A small voice in John’s head was questioning whether God really did care about him and sent the epitome of everything his father despised (a young man that wasn’t afraid of talking back to his elders with long hair tied into a messy ponytail, a Columbia University hoodie that he was totally swimming in, an attitude, a light accent that was enough to know that he wasn’t from the United States, and a glare that made John quiver in his shoes… not to mention that John had never been more attracted to someone that he had actually met face to face). “I don’t even know where to begin with this! Did you ever stop to realize that he’s the normal one and you’re the abnormal one that’s stuck in the 1950’s. What, do you believe that a woman’s place is in the kitchen too?” Henry opened his mouth to speak but the boy glaring daggers cut him off. “First of all, conversion therapy uses extremely questionable methods. Essentially, it’s pseudoscience. And incredibly barbaric. Did you know that before 1981 their treatment methods included ice-pick lobotomies and electric shocks to the genitals? It doesn’t work, and even if it did there is absolutely nothing wrong with being part of the LGBTQIA community.” The kid paused for the first time since he began his speech to laugh mockingly, or maybe to sneak in a breath since he didn’t seem to breathe that entire time. Henry’s face turned two shades redder. “Not to mention that sending your kid to a gay conversion camp is the worst plan ever. It’s basically saying, ‘oh, my son likes boys? Why not send him to a forest with a bunch of other boys that also like boys’. Almost as ill thought out as sending him to an all boys school would have been.” John couldn’t help but double over in laughter at the look of disgusted on his father’s face. He was half tempted to kiss the other boy both in gratitude and as a final ‘fuck to’ to his dear dad, although he was sure that he’d want to kiss him even if his father wasn’t around to see it. 

“Actually, that’s exactly what he did,” John wheezed in between fits of laughter. The look on the other kid’s face was both priceless and downright adorable. “I can take it from here, thank you for all of your help.” Henry basically stormed out of the hall, which only made the two boys laugh harder. He noticed that the other boy’s eyes got brighter when he was smiling and John thought that it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever witnessed. Once John calmed down enough to form a decent sentence, he looked at the kid in front of him with a quizzical expression. “Shit, man, who the hell are you?"


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron Burr hosts a hall meeting and Alexander get to know John and his roommate, Lafayette, a little better.

“Almost as ill thought out as sending him to an all boys school would have been!” Alexander thought that he finished his tirade on a high note judging by the disgust on his opponent’s face. That in itself was enough to give him a warm fuzzy feeling inside, except he had been so distracted by tearing down the man spewing awful lies that he didn’t take the chance to take the temperature of the room in regards to the man’s… son? That was a fair assumption.

The son, as it turned out, was laughing hysterically. Yes, that was a good sign. And it was a beautiful laugh. Alexander hoped that he could make him laugh like that again.

“Actually, that’s exactly what he did.” His voice was just as beautiful as his laugh. Everything about the man was beautiful. As someone who normally had an extraordinary grasp of the English language, Alexander was disappointed in the fact that he couldn’t come up with a word that was actually worthy of this man. He could easily get lost in time counting the boy’s freckles, just like he had often spent his nights counting the stars in the sky when he couldn’t sleep. The freckles and the brightness of the boy’s smile didn’t fall short in their brilliance. Alexander was even digging the guy’s shirt and tank tops with cartoon turtles on them weren’t normally his style.  Of course, it could’ve been the way that the shirt fit that Alexander liked. “I can take it from here, thanks you for all of your help.” His voice was shaking with suppressed laughter as he watched his father’s departure and he turned towards Alexander with his eyebrows furrowed together. “Shit, man, who the hell are you?”

“Alexander Hamilton,” he answered with his hand outstretched. Suddenly, he was a little nervous. He was sure that once some time passed he would get yelled at for opening his big mouth yet again. _‘Stop talking, Alexander, and stop picking fights with everyone that you cross paths with!’_ the voices of every foster parent he had ever had intermittently rang in his head. The tendency to verbally tear apart everyone that didn’t agree with him had always kept Alexander from making any friends and he really wanted this kid to like him. “Room 142.”

“John Laurens,” the boy smiled, shaking his hand. “143. I’m across the hall from you.”

“And the man I snapped at was your…” Alexander smiled apologetically, which earned a soft chuckle from John Laurens.

“Father,” John’s voice was laced with ire, but Alexander was sure that his tone wasn’t directed at him. “South Carolina Congressman Henry Laurens.”

“Oh,” Alexander cringed. He hoped that basically calling a congressman idiotic didn’t backfire on him someday. “Shit.”

“Don’t worry about it, he had it coming,” John reached over and squeezed his arm reassuringly. Alexander knew at that moment that he’d say just about anything to earn another moment like this. “Fathers, right? They’ll drive you up the wall.”

“Actually, I wouldn’t know,” Alexander answered. “Mine ran out when I was a child.” He could see John’s face crumble in sympathy and he regretted sharing that answer. Gaining sympathy was something that weak people excelled at, and Alexander was certainly not weak. “Hey, do you want to hang out in my room for a bit? My roommate, Hercules, is out taking a tour around campus. He’s really cool, even though he has a little bit of a crude sense of humor and works at a tailor’s shop so he makes really eccentric clothes. That sort of takes away from the underlying fear that he could kick my ass since he’s way taller than me. Anyways, we could make lemonade or something. It’s really hot out, isn’t it?”

“I’d love to make lemonade with you,” John smiled after making sure that Alexander was done talking. Alexander felt his cheeks heat up at how sensual that sounded but he wasn’t sure if John had caught onto that fact. He appreciated the fact that John didn’t cut him off, unlike most people he rambled to, and the way that the corners of his hazel eyes crinkled when he smiled. He appreciated a lot about John Laurens. “But I think Aaron Burr is calling a hall meeting soon. At 5.”

“Oh, okay!” Alexander grinned, his smile growing when John smiled back. Leave it to Aaron Burr to postpone his plan to make lemonade with his incredibly cute neighbor across the hall.

.

John really wasn’t expecting to befriend everyone in his hall. Both his and Alexander’s neighbors held an air of old money and superiority and John had enough of that in his life already. He tried to glance around at everyone in the circle that Aaron Burr had made them form while he explained something that John probably should have been listening to but his eyes kept darting back to Alexander. No one else really stood out in comparison to him. Alexander was having a very lively conversation with intricate hand gestures to a taller darker skinned man with an exquisite red shirt, whom John could only assume was his roommate Hercules.

“I know what you are thinking,” a voice thickly coated in a French accent whispered. John glanced back at his roommate, Lafayette (this was not his real name but he claimed that he would shoot anyone that called him Gilbert), who was giving him a knowing smile. “He really seems the type with his shirt and all, but he is not interested in boys.” Frankly, John was impressed and was beginning to wonder if French people had some incredibly strong gaydar. Prior to that he had believed that the “gaydar” was absolute horseshit; John misread signals all the time. Like he was sure that he did with Alexander.

“What can you tell me about the other one?” John whispered back, trying not to sound too desperate. At first he had thought Alexander defended him to win him over, but now that he had spent the past few minutes watching him he was sure that he did it for his own benefit.

“With the big… what’s the word? Jumper?” Lafayette folded his arms, whereas John was relieved that he didn’t say something else. He wasn’t sure if he could’ve kept his head from exploding. “He is cute and his movements of hand seem to indicate that he very well could be.”

“Really?” John tried his hardest to keep his excitement out of his voice. Judging from the look on Lafayette’s face, he didn’t do a good job. “What the hell, how do you do that?”

“I do not,” Lafayette couldn’t help but grin as John felt his hope fizzle away like air out of a balloon. “I haven’t the faintest idea. I never met the man.”

“Wait, what about-“

“We were in high school together,” Lafayette pushed a hand over his mouth to stop from laughing.

“Oh, you have got to be shitting me,” John mumbled under his breath, which only caused Lafayette to laugh harder.

“Is there something you would like to share, Gilbert?” Aaron Burr asked and Lafayette’s laughter quickly transformed into a string of angry French. That caught Alexander’s attention and John hurriedly looked for something else to do. He didn’t have to look long because Alexander basically squeezed himself in between them.

“I’m sorry, did you just- oh, hey John!” Alexander beamed at John and he felt his stomach flip as he smiled back. “Anyways, did I just hear you speak French?”

“Yes,” Lafayette answered slowly and Alexander’s entire face lit up.

“No way!” Alexander turned towards Lafayette and, since the circle had already been tight before he switched places, he was leaning against John’s side. “Je parle français aussi!”

“Do you?” Lafayette asked, a ghost of a smile forming on his face when Alexander nodded eagerly. The rest of the conversation carried on in very rapid French but John couldn’t bring himself to care with Alexander close enough to him so that his shirt would smell like his cologne for the rest of the day. At some point during the conversation, Hercules crossed over to sit on the other side of Lafayette. He mumbled something about needing company and smiled at John Laurens when he realized that half of his company was speaking a different language.

“And now that we’ve covered discipline procedures,” Burr continued. Shit, John probably should’ve paid attention. He was sure he’d figure it all out at some point, with his knack for trouble and all. “We’re going to do some short introductions. Just your name, major, and one goal for the year, I’ll start. My name is Aaron Burr. I’m a second year pre-law student but I’ve earned enough credits to be considered a junior. My goal is to graduate at the end of this school year.” He glanced around the circle at the other students. “Alright, who would like to go next?” Right away, Alexander’s hand shot up and Burr sighed softly. “Fine. Alexander, you can-“

“Thank you, Aaron Burr. Sir.” Alexander opted to stand in the middle of the circle and looked awfully proud of his rhyme. Burr sort of looked like he wouldn’t be opposed to shooting him on the spot. “I’m Alexander Hamilton and I’m a pre-law student as well. My goal for the year is to make a change to the system so that people that don’t fall in the straight while male category can don’t have to work extra hard to succeed. I’m not from around here and mom passed away when I was twelve, so the road to get here was full of different obstacles. The fact that I’m even alive, yet alone at such an amazing school, will continue to astonish me until the day I die. I want the future to be full of orphan immigrants just like me achieving greatness.”

“That’s great, Alexander,” Burr looked a little regretful that he let him go first, whereas John and the other two were cheering and whistling as he sat down. “John? You don’t have to stand unless you feel so inclined.” Alexander played with the sleeve of his jacket self consciously, which motivated John to take his place in the center of the circle.

“I’m John Laurens,” John started. He wasn’t nearly as comfortable talking in front of crowds as Alexander seemed to be, especially with something as complex as a goal for the school year. “My major is currently undecided but I suppose my goal’s the same idea as Alexander’s. To make a change in the system and to help the repressed.” He chanced a glance at Alexander, who had the most awestruck look on his face.

John’s stomach filled with butterflies so fast that he didn’t process Hercules’s raucous “fuck yeah, Laurens!” and a gentle hand on his shoulder, telling him to return to his seat.

“I’m Hercules Mulligan,” Hercules’s deep voice grabbed John’s attention and he almost forgot about the butterflies. “I am a fashion design major. I know, the fabulous shirt gives it away.” As he twirled to show it off to everyone, John began to wonder if Lafayette had been wrong about him being straight. “My goal for the year is to make enough winter jackets for the homeless so that they’re warm when it starts to snow.”

John could honestly say that he didn’t care enough about anyone else in the hall to pay much attention. He learned that his neighbors were named Charles Lee and Thomas Conway, while Alexander and Hercules’s neighbors were James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. John’s original impression had been right; they did come from old money. Alexander had rolled his eyes and whispered “can you believe this guy?” when Jefferson revealed that he was a business major whose main goal was the pursuit of happiness.

“My name is Lafayette,” the Frenchman took Jefferson’s place (it was weird that from certain angles it looked like the two of them could be related) to conclude the rather tedious introductions. He sent a sarcastic smile in Burr’s direction. “That is what you call me, okay? I immigrated from France last year to live with an uncle after my parents passed so sometimes the English is not good. I liked Alexander’s goal, but I think mine is going to be to provide an easier transition for students from other countries.” Alexander began tugging relentlessly at John’s shirt at that revelation and he turned to him with a soft laugh.

“Your roommate is really cool,” he was grinning ear to ear as Lafayette took his seat. When Alexander noticed that, he turned to Lafayette with the same dopey grin. “Lafayette, you’re really cool.”

“I think someone has a crush on you,” John whispered loud enough for Alexander to hear. John expected Alexander to scoff at John’s implication but instead he sent Lafayette a quick wink and sultry smile. John was already beginning to regret the joke, but Lafayette grabbing Alexander’s face and pulling him into a kiss didn’t make things any better. Alexander didn’t seem surprised for more than a second before his lips moved seamlessly with Lafayette’s, as if they had kissed a hundred times before. Jefferson and Madison were snickering and mumbling to each other while the rest of the circle just gawked at what was happening in front of them. John was too busy picking his jaw up off the floor to pay attention to what they were saying. Who knew that Lafayette and Alexander would take his teasing comment as a challenge?

“Alright, cut it out,” Burr instructed calmly and Lafayette and Alexander were both laughing when they broke the kiss. Like everyone else, Hercules was staring at the pair and trying to piece together what the hell was going on with a somewhat nervous chuckle. John seemed to be the only one that didn’t feel like laughing all that much. “I knew I should’ve gotten an apartment. Meeting dismissed, go back to your dorms.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally wasn't planning to have Alex and Lafayette make out but sometimes shit happens, you know?


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander and John apply for paid internships. John finds out about a Pride Picnic at the school, as well as a game changing fact about his best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wound up being way longer than I ever planned on it being. Like, around twice as long as the first two
> 
> Chapter warning(s):  
> Gay panic? (honestly I have no clue what to call it but John freaks out a little bit)

The first month of school had gone rather smoothly. Alexander’s schedule was busy, sure, but he wouldn’t have traded any of his sleepless nights studying to stay ahead of the game in for the world. The best thing about college by far was his debate class. Not only was it something that he had been seemingly preparing for his whole life, Professor Washington loved him.

Professor Washington was everything that Alexander aspired to be. Tall and strong, he could completely destroy an idea while remaining as graceful as a ballerina. Grace was not something that came naturally to Alexander. Washington always kept his temper in check, even when he was discussing an issue that he clearly did not believe in. Keeping both sides in mind wasn’t Alexander’s strong suit, but he could see how doing so would build a more appealing argument.

The best part of the class, however, was not Professor Washington. It was the fact that all of his friends were taking the class as well. John Laurens would always sit next to him and would drink in every word he was saying when he got up to speak and, in turn, Alexander loved watching him blossom into a better speaker. They seemed to be unified in their opinions of every issue they came across, which in turn made their friendship stronger since Alexander didn’t have to lecture him about his inaccuracies and risk pissing him off. Lafayette and Hercules didn’t get up to speak as much as Alexander and John. For Lafayette, it was the language barrier. When he did get up to speak, he would occasionally mispronounce words and revert back to French. He was absolutely brilliant in French, but Alexander was the only one that seemed to realize this. Hercules also had a problem with language; he was a great speaker but would slip in so many curse words that Washington christened the practice of swearing in the fits of passion a “Mulligan slip up”. Angelica and Eliza also took the class, since Alexander had basically begged them to sign up for it. Angelica tore all her enemies apart so fast that they would be left wondering what happened to their dignity. Eliza was a little shyer and not as vicious as her older sister, but she was a master of using pathos to get her points across. Even Aaron Burr was in the class (Alexander wasn’t quite sure what their friendship status was), but he would argue his opinions based on whatever he thought that Washington wanted to hear.

The class would have been perfect if it wasn’t for Thomas Jefferson, Alexander’s next door neighbor and nemesis. He was the fastest talker in the room (except for Lafayette when he would switch to French) and was able to seamlessly spin his arguments. Alexander would’ve been impressed by his brilliance if all of his opinions weren’t wrong.

“Thank you, Lee and Conway for that… interesting point,” Washington cut off another misguided rant about freedom of speech that made Alexander want to forget all of the class rules and punch them both in the face. On the bright side, at least everyone in the room looked just as annoyed with the pair. Even Thomas Jefferson looked a little nonplussed. “Now, before I let you all go, I would like to let you know about an employment opportunity. Every year, I hire two students from my roster to serve as my paid interns. If you would like to apply, please email me your class schedule and a 500 word essay on this prompt on the board by midnight tonight.” Other students were taking out their phones to snap pictures, but Alexander scribbled the prompt in his notebook. The prompt that was basically made for him.

_What is a legacy? How do you create a positive one when the entire world has its eye on you?_

“Hey, Laurens,” Alexander whispered, catching up to his friend in the halls and poking his arm harshly. “What are you going to write?”

“Nothing,” John scoffed softly and shook his head, which made his gorgeous curls bounce lightly. “We all know you’re Professor Washington’s favorite. You’re going to get it.”

“Probably, but Washington said he was going to hire two students!” Alexander reminded him as he slung a casual arm around his shoulders. John ducked his head and a curl that had loosened from his ponytail fell across his face. “Come on, how cool would it be if we got to work together?” John still had that hesitant look that Alexander absolutely hated. “You’re brilliant, John. I believe in you.” 

“You do?” John’s voice got softer and he seemed to be fighting a grin. When Alexander nodded eagerly, a smile slowly spread across his face. Alexander could feel his heart soar as John reached for his hand hesitantly and gave it a soft squeeze. “Okay. If you think I have a chance, I’ll apply. But I’m not getting my hopes up or anything because-“ He trailed off when Alexander tackled him in a bear hug. If he had been any bigger, he was sure that John would’ve fallen to the ground. Instead, John took a step back to catch his balance and laughed softly against Alexander’s neck, causing goosebumps to jump up his skin. Alexander broke the hug much quicker than he would’ve liked, since he could feel his cheeks heat up. 

“Okay, I’ll let you go to your biology class,” Alexander ran a nervous hand (nervous? He was rarely nervous around other people, that made no sense!) through his hair, which he had decided to wear down that day. Hercules Mulligan had made the offhanded comment that he had looked like a Hispanic Jesus before he left for class, which had made him laugh so hard that his sides ached. “But get to work on your essay! You can send it to me if you think that’ll help.”

“Thanks, Alexander,” John rested a hand on Alexander’s arm briefly before departing. Alexander watched him go with a fond smile and rested a gentle hand where John’s had been seconds before. Alexander was always a touchy feely person but he noticed that John had adapted to it much quicker than most people, to the point where he started to return the affection in simple brushes and squeezes. 

“Burr!” Alexander almost missed the brilliant black suit as it brushed past him. The man in the suit froze for a minute, as if considering his options, before turning back to Alexander with a polite smile.

“Alexander,” he greeted back. “Did you need something?”

“Not exactly,” Alexander shrugged as he folded his hands together and rocked on the balls of his feet. “Are you applying for Washington’s internship?”

“I’m sure the entire class is,” Aaron Burr glanced down at his watch and a flicker of hesitation flashed in his eyes before he made a small gesture. “Walk with me.”

“Okay,” Alexander said slowly before stepping over to Burr’s side. “Do you know what you’re going to write yet? I have a lot; the problem is figuring out how to keep it around 500 words. That’s not a lot at all! I’ve had numerous ideas spinning in my mind since he announced it. That’s how my brain functions, it’s like clockwork. Constant spinning, you know?” 

“I don’t know if I’d get my hopes up if I were you,” Burr stated, which caused Alexander to freeze in his tracks. “Paid interns are supposed to represent their professor in professional situations. And you’re a little too… electric. Besides, I applied for similar positions last year and they don’t hire freshmen.”

“Washington likes me,” Alexander pointed out with his eyebrows furrowed together. There was no way that he was going to let Aaron Burr ruin the idea for him. “And he’s different from the other teachers, who said that he wouldn’t?”

“They want someone well adjusted,” Burr clarified. “Freshmen are getting used to being away from home and everything.” 

“Well, I don’t have a home,” Alexander admitted, although he doubted that that fun fact would give him any edge against other freshmen. “I came here all by myself. I’m an orphan." 

“As am I,” Burr admitted. Alexander certainly did not see that coming, although now that he mentioned it Burr had that certain air of self reliance that set Alexander and Lafayette apart from the rest of their hall. “That’s why I’m working so hard to graduate in two years. My parents both graduated from Princeton and it was practically their dying wish for me go there.”

“Was it really?” Alexander hated to admit that he was actually finding Burr to be more fascinating than he originally pegged. Burr rubbed a hand over his barely-there hair before nodding.

“I’m going there for law school,” Burr explained. “I can only afford a few years of schooling and I don’t want to blow all of my money on student loans.”

“Right, of course,” Alexander nodded in understanding. “Did you apply for any scholarships? I never thought I’d get one, being from the Caribbean and all. The Schuyler sisters, Angelica and Eliza and their younger sister Peggy; she’s still in high school, they all taught me how to have a more neutral American accent for when I did interviews because I was worried that they’d just see some alien kid without any potential and-“ 

“Alexander, I have class,” Burr cut him off again. Alexander wondered briefly if he would sound this exhausted if someone else that wasn’t him was trying to talk to him. “But if you really want Washington to hire you, I’d talk less. Be charming. Smile more.”

“Okay,” Alexander smiled faintly. Washington already liked him better than Burr, he knew this, but he did mention once or twice that learning to control his need to tear down everyone that disagreed with him could benefit him someday. “Go ahead.”

“Have a nice day,” Burr nodded his goodbyes before heading off in the other direction. Alexander was about to call ‘you too!’ but changed his mind once he thought about it more and started walking back to his dorm room. He was done with classes for the day, since Friday was his easier day. His other friends all had a few more classes, which worked out well for him since it gave him time to work on his essay without Hercules around to try to get him to lighten up.

He unlocked his dorm room, sat down at his desk, and reread the questions before pulling out the laptop that Eliza gave to him when her father got her a new one for her first year of college to begin typing.

 _A legacy is planting seeds in a garden you never get to see_ , he typed out. He reread his statement and smiled to himself. Yes, this was going well so far.

The essay itself didn’t take that long. Most of his time was spent condensing it down from 1,500 words and deciding which one of his epiphanies the world (or, in this case, Washington) could live without. He had to borrow Hercules’s scanner so that he could send in his class schedule, but he was sure that he wouldn’t mind.

And now, he waited. He spent the entire weekend refreshing his email and groaning in irritation when nothing new came in. The only reason why he got any sleep in the first place was because he figured that no self respecting professor would send out an email about job results at 1am.

Nature called at around 8pm on Sunday night. Alexander whispered a harsh warning to his gmail account to not get anything new until he got back before leaving his room. When he came back to his hall, Thomas Jefferson was leaning against his door in a fuchsia shirt that not even Hercules Mulligan would dare to wear out in public. 

“What is it, Jefferson?” Alexander asked, honestly too exhausted to deal with Thomas’s antics. “You’re at the wrong door, your room’s 144. See, right there? It says 142.”

“Hamilton,” Jefferson greeted with something between a sneer and a smirk. “Dear, sweet little Alexander Hamilton.” His words made Alexander’s lip curl in disgust, which only delighted Jefferson further.

“What do you want?” Alexander spat, trying to push past him. That proved impossible, which Jefferson seemed to find hilarious. “Get out of my way.”

“Come on, is that any way to talk to your coworker?” Jefferson’s tone went from sing song to condescending. Alexander’s stomach dropped and his eyes widened, which pulled a harsh laugh out of Jefferson. He couldn’t be talking about Washington; he would know better than to hire the guy that his star student despised the most. “Oh, but Laurens must be so proud of you. Tell me, what will your precious boyfriend think of us spending so much time together?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” Alexander snapped, even though his heart skipped a beat at the accusation. Was his crush really obvious enough that even Thomas Jefferson had caught on? If John hadn’t said anything, his chances were definitely hopeless. That realization felt like a harsh punch in the gut. “And what the hell are you talking about?”

“Oh,” Jefferson’s eyebrows rose so that they were nearly buried in his puff of hair. “You haven’t heard yet. I’ll let you get back inside so you can throw a fit and hurl your computer against the wall or something.” He departed with a final smirk that made Alexander want to throw a fit and hurl _him_ against the wall. His hands were trembling with anger as he unlocked his door and went to go check his email again. 

_Dear Students,_

_I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of your essays and, after very careful consideration, I have selected the two students that I believe will be best suited for this position: Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, I will send you a separate email with details as to when our first meeting will take place. If you have any concerns or would like feedback on your essays, since other teachers use a similar format for selecting their own interns, you are welcome to schedule an appointment through my office hours._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor G. Washington_

At the risk of having a Mulligan slip up, Alexander was completely fucked.

.

John read through the email from Washington after Alexander sent him a very frantic text message detailing about how his life was over as he knew it and to check his email for an explanation. After reading through the email, he sent out a quick _‘congrats, I knew you’d get it but oh wow lol good luck not murdering jefferson’_ in response.

He didn’t know why he got his hopes up in the first place. He was only applying for the position because he was so sure that Alexander was going to get it and he enjoyed spending time with him. He knew he wasn’t an extraordinary debater like Alexander (or Jefferson, although he felt like he was betraying his friend by even expressing that sentiment mentally). And yet, it felt like receiving a rejection letter. Right as he was about to click out of his email and get back to studying for his psychology course, the class he excelled at the most, another email came in from Professor Washington.

_John:_

_I know I said to come to my office hours if you wanted feedback, but I decided afterwards to send messages to a few students that I just have to talk to. I thought that your essay had some very interesting points and I considered hiring you and Alex. I only decided against it because I didn’t want to take you away from another opportunity that you were better suited for. Would you consider applying for this same position for Professor Franklin? I noticed that you were taking his class and I mentioned you when we had lunch today. He said that his essay isn’t due until Tuesday if you would still like to apply._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor G. Washington_

John had, in fact, been thinking about it. He had considered asking Alexander to read what he had written so far and provide suggestions, but he had been so stressed about Washington’s position (that everyone else knew that he was going to get) that he didn’t bother. Just as he was toying with the idea of asking now that the decision had been made and he was no longer obsessing over the possibilities, his phone buzzed harshly against his desk.

**(8:29pm) Received Message from Alexander:** _I was so angry about the injustice of hiring Jefferson to be my co-intern (!!!!!!) that almost forgot to ask: how are you feeling about all this?_

**(8:31pm) Sent Message to Alexander:** _feeling pretty good, washington suggested that I apply for the same position for prof franklin. he’s my psych professor, he’s cool. I should be done with the essay by tomorrow, wanna look it over for me?_

**(8:39pm) Received Message from Alexander:** _I’d love to! Let me know what time works for you and I’ll stop by your dorm!_

**(8:40pm) Sent Message to Alexander:** _k I’ll txt you tomorrow_

The next morning, after John had set up a time to meet with Alexander to go over his essay, he decided that he’d take a walk around campus before his first class of the day. He enjoyed getting a late start on his day, since he didn’t mind taking late afternoon classes, so he had a couple of hours to kill beforehand. Of course, his friends did not share that mentality so he was often killing time without them. Students were always doing some cool things down at the student center and he spent more time there than he cared to admit to anyone.

Today, there were tables lined up around the walls for people to sign up for various activities with the different clubs in the school. John almost considered signing up for the environmentalist’s pizza party when a lavender tablecloth caught his eye.

_Come sign up for the LGBTQIA+ Pride Picnic! Everyone is welcome!_

John almost felt guilty walking up to the table and entering his information. His father’s voice rang in his head, yelling about how he was tarnishing the Laurens’s family name. That shitty feeling remained with him through all of his classes and he felt awful about the fact that he wasn’t fully applying himself. Alexander had asked about it during Washington’s class but John had just shrugged it off and told him that he went to bed too late. Alexander didn’t look convinced, but John didn’t care much. Being around Alexander felt like someone was reaching into John’s chest and squeezing his heart and he would’ve cancelled the proofreading session if he could think of anyone else that would be willing to read his boring essay. 

“Alexander,” John glanced over at his friend, who was watching Washington speak so intently that he doubted that he had even heard him.

“Yeah?” Alexander answered faintly, as if talking too loudly would break the spell that he seemed to be under whenever Washington started a speech.

“Can we meet after this class?” John whispered back in between a break in Washington’s speech. He wished he had been able to pay better attention today; Alexander would be so disappointed if he knew that John was tuning the words out.

“Thought you had biology.” Alexander actually turned to look at him at his statement and John shook his head slowly.

“Normally, yeah,” he shrugged dismissively. “But I’m exhausted. My professor posts everything online anyway, I won’t miss much.”

“John, you shouldn’t-“ Alexander must’ve seen the expression on John’s face because he instantly stopped talking and nodded his head in acceptance. “Okay.”

Class was done five minutes later, but it felt twice that to John. Normally, the prospect of an elusive alone moment with Alexander excited him but today it made his stomach feel like it was full of lead. He really wanted to take a nap, that’s what he wanted. To Alexander’s credit, he had remained fairly quiet for the walk back to their dorms. John wondered if he was worried about him. That made him feel even worse.

“Where’s your laptop?” Alexander asked once they entered John and Lafayette’s dorm. John opened the drawer on his desk and unlocked the computer before handing it over and climbing onto his bunk. The essay was already opened so he didn’t have to bother with that. “Are you going to go to sleep?”

“No,” John leaned back against the wall. “I don’t have an extra chair in my room and Lafayette doesn’t like it when people move his stuff when he’s not around. You can sit up here if you want though.” Alexander took the invitation with a half smile that twisted at John’s heart and sat next to John with his socked feet hanging off the edge of the bed. He took his horned-rimmed glasses out of his backpack and slid them up his nose. “I didn’t know you wore glasses.” _And you look absolutely adorable in them. Not fair._

“I’m nearsighted,” Alexander explained as he started sifting through the essay. “Eliza makes fun of me and says it’s because I read too much but my mom wore reading glasses too.” John nodded in understanding and tucked his knees tightly into his chest. He was sure that Alexander could hear his heart pounding through his chest and John didn’t know how to make it stop. “John, this is really good so far.” 

“Thanks,” John mumbled as he rested his chin against his knees. He really wished Alexander would quit trying to talk to him, which was odd since normally he liked it when he got passionate about every little detail.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Alexander asked after a moment. Right, John would have better luck wishing for a flying pig to come crashing through the window. “You seem more than tired.”

“Do you remember my father?” John asked. Alexander nodded and flipped his glasses on the top of his head, pushing his shining locks back with the motion. He seemed to realize that a rant about Henry Laurens would only make the situation worse, which John really appreciated. “He’s been on my mind all day.”

“Why?” Alexander asked curiously. He was always curious about everything. “Did he call?” John chuckled softly at the idea of his father actually caring enough to call.

“No, I just-“ John broke off for a moment to take a deep breath. “Do you remember when you yelled at him because he was giving me shit about, um, about me being gay?”

“Vividly,” Alexander answered with a sad smile.

“Well, there’s this Pride Picnic,” John started to explain. “I signed up to go, but-“

“John, that’s a great idea!” Alexander blurted before pulling his friend into a quick hug. He quickly realized that John was going to keep talking and scooted back before he could really seek comfort from the touch. “I’m sorry. I cut you off, didn’t I? But what?”

“I don’t know,” John twirled a curl around his index finger nervously and suddenly became very interested in the patterns on Lafayette’s blanket. He couldn’t even look at Alexander, since he would be so ashamed of him if he knew all the awful thoughts that were running through his head. “Well, you saw what my father thinks about my sexuality. My mom’s not much better, she’s a very traditional Catholic. I never thought that I’d go to a Pride Picnic in a million years. And once I’m there, it’s out there. Everyone will know. Which has to happen eventually, I know, but it doesn’t stop me from being nervous.”

“I could go with you!” Alexander’s voice rang with excitement at the very idea.

“That’s nice of you, but are you sure?” John asked hesitantly. “They might ask a lot of questions. I don’t know how many allies are going to show up.”

“Well, good thing I’m not an ally,” Alexander stated definitively after a brief pause. John’s gaze slowly found his face again.

“What do you mean?” John asked, feeling like all of the air had been sucked out of the room.

“I’ve only told the Schuyler sisters this,” Alexander started, his smile slowly fading into a more serious expression, “and I wasn’t going to say anything to anyone unless I met a guy that I really liked. Of course, I wasn’t going to deny it if anyone asked or anything. But I’m bi.”

“You’re what?” John had to stop himself from gaping at the boy sitting across from him. He was sure that that was not the reaction that Alexander was hoping for.

“Bisexual,” Alexander repeated. “As in I like girls and I like guys.”

“That’s great,” John felt a bit better at the revelation. At least he wasn’t completely wasting his time with another secret crush on a straight boy. “Do Lafayette and Mulligan know?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t officially told them,” Alexander shrugged. “Do you think I should?”

“I did,” John chuckled fondly at the memory. He had blurted it out to the three of them when they were all out drinking and Lafayette had kissed his cheek in congratulations. “We were all piss drunk, remember? But they were both so supportive.”

“Oh, right,” Alexander pushed down his glasses and turned his attention back to John’s laptop. “Back to work! So, it was wonderful. I’d just further explain this here.” Alexander highlighted a particular section and John nodded in agreement. “Other than that, you’re great. You’ll definitely get the position.”

“You said that about Washington,” John reminded him with the most teasing smile he could muster. Alexander huffed and pushed the laptop back to John.

“Shut up and send it in, Laurens,” Alexander leaned against the side of John’s arm to watch the screen. “I’m going to watch you do it.”

“You don’t trust me, Hamilton?” John questioned. Not that he minded, of course, as long as Alexander remained that close to him. Alexander grinned and shook his head quickly, tossing his hair gently as he did so. John laughed softly and attached it, as well as his class schedule, to an email to Professor Franklin. “There. It’s sent.”

“Good,” Alexander sat up and put his glasses back in their case. “I should get going, I should talk to Lafayette and Hercules before you drunkenly out me.” He smiled to let John know that he was joking. John barely registered that before pulling him into a tight hug.

“Alexander?” he whispered, letting his eyes flutter closed. Alexander hummed in response as he wrapped his arms around John, who let out a soft sigh. “You’re the closest friend I’ve got.” Alexander broke the hug, but not before brushing his lips against the top of John’s head and making his heart soar.

“I’m honored to be your friend,” Alexander smiled. John was sure that his cheeks were bright red, but he couldn’t be bothered by it. He climbed off the bed and pulled his shoes back on with a gentle wave before stepping outside.

Too much quiet time was never good for one’s sanity, and John began to overanalyze everything that Alexander had said. He had mentioned in his rambles that he wasn’t going to say anything unless he met a guy that he really liked. If there was one thing that John had learned about Alexander, it was that he never said anything that wasn’t truthful at the moment. Did this mean that Alexander liked a guy? Was it too much to hope for that the guy was his best friend who was already falling for him? He wasn’t able to dwell much on that question since his phone started buzzing again. 

**(9:42pm) Received Group message from Hercules Mulligan:** _JOHN LAURENS WHY AREN’T YOU FREAKING OUT?_

**(9:42pm) Received Group message from Hercules Mulligan:** _ALEX SAID THAT HE TOLD YOU. DON’T YOU HAVE THE BIGGEST CRUSH ON HIM?_

**(9:43pm) Sent group message to Hercules Mulligan, Lafayette:** _I never said that and I didn’t want to out him_

**(9:42pm) Received Group message from Hercules Mulligan:** _MAYBE NOT OUT LOUD BUT YOU’VE BEEN DROOLING OVER HIM ALL MONTH_

**(9:43pm) Received group message from Lafayette:** _What is all this fuss?_

**(9:44pm) Sent group message to Hercules Mulligan, Lafayette:** _alexander’s bi_

**(9:46pm) Received group message from Lafayette:** _Yes. And the sky is blue, is it not?_

**(9:49pm) Sent group message to Hercules Mulligan, Lafayette:** _what do you mean?_

**(9:55pm) Received group message from Lafayette:** _He doesn’t kiss like a straight man, as of orientation he had definitely kissed a boy before._

**(10:04pm) Sent group message to Hercules Mulligan, Lafayette:** _right, I’m going to sleep. feel free to keep texting each other but don’t wake me up haha_

**(10:08pm) Received group message from Lafayette:** _Goodnight, John._

**(10:10pm) Received Group message from Hercules Mulligan:** _Sweet dreams. But if they’re about Alex, not too sweet…the walls are thin ;)_

John rolled his eyes and set his phone down on his desk. Of course, why didn’t he see it before? Alexander had been so captivated by Lafayette upon their first meeting, which ended in them sharing a rather heated kiss. Upon getting to know the two men, John had assumed that this just happened due to them being incredibly physical and flirtatious people. But now that he sat back to analyze the interactions between Alexander and Lafayette during the past month, the signs were all there. 

This was just his luck. He was falling for a guy that had a thing for his cooler, foreign roommate. John could never compete with that. With a grumble, he rolled onto his side (at least Alexander had thought to turn off the lights) and quickly fell asleep.


End file.
